Too Close

EIGHT | EPILOGUE

A YEAR AND A HALF LATER...

"I love you." Miles kissed up to her collarbone and caressed her skin, her legs, as his lips spoke affectionate words on her body.

"I love you." Gianna used her fingers to lift his head, his eyes meeting hers as he came closer. Her chest rose and fell on the opposite accord as his, him being the other piece to complete her puzzle. She held the back of his neck and drew his face to hers in a renewed embrace. His lips parted hers in a soul-reaching massage, her hands reaching down to the waistband of his bottoms as their tongues tangled.

The sound of Alaia screaming made them both stop and look at each other with wide eyes. Miles quickly got off her and went to the bathroom while Gianna put her pajamas back on, hearing the sound of her plastic dress-up heels colliding against the marble floors. Just as she'd made it in front of their door, Gianna opened it.

"What's wrong, baby? Why are you running and screaming?" Gianna picked her up, feeling her heart beating rapidly beneath her Princess and the Frog nightgown.

"Chase's game is scary, Gia." Alaia whined as her adolescent lisp came out when she pronounced his name, and Gianna sighed at her using her nickname. They were working on reverting to Mommy.

"Mommy, not Gia." She corrected her, sitting on the bed with Alaia in her arms. "Don't watch Chase play the game, okay?"

"Okay." Alaia wiped nonexistent tears from her eyes until the bathroom door opened and she squealed seeing Miles come out. "Daddy!" She wiggled out of Gianna's arms to run into his.

"Good morning, Princess. Y'all choose this day to get up earlier than usual, huh?" His remark made Gianna giggle as she opened up her laptop, and he joined her back in bed.

"Yes." She nodded, her fuzzy, slept on curls swinging.

As Gianna looked at her laptop screen, she began to get an incoming call from her mom. "Good morning, Ma."

"Good morning, Ms. Author of the Year!"

Gianna smiled, "Not officially. I'm only a nominee."

"Hi, Nana!" Alaia jumped into the camera, waving rapidly at Brandy.

"Hey, boo boo. Are you being good for your mommy?" She asked and Alaia nodded, clinging onto Gianna. "And it will be official. I just know you have it, Gigi."

"I hope so, too. Considering the emotional turmoil I went through before and during writing it." She said, kissing Alaia on her cheek. "Where are you?"

"Some café that my friend from Pilates class recommended to me. When will you start getting ready? I want to see you before you go."

"My first appointment is soon, I'll definitely call you before I go. Okay, I love you too." As they were saying goodbye, Alaia blew a virtual kiss to Brandy before she closed the laptop, hanging up in her face.

Today was incredibly monumental for both Gianna the Person and Gianna the Author. She was nominated at the Black American Writers Awards for Author of the Year for her work with Melt, the book she'd written after struggling with her craft.

It was an old idea that she finally built the courage to explore, and Miles' was ecstatic for her since that was the one he'd always tried to convince her to take seriously. And she was so glad that she did, the writing journey of it, changing the way she created for the rest of her life.

The nomination was enough validation for her that she was on the right path. That her hard work paid off. She couldn't imagine beginning to process being the winner of her category and being able to take home one of those trophies. However, Miles was dusting off the spot next to his to place hers in its rightful place.